


the beginning of the end

by wheeinswolf



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Action & Romance, Blood and Violence, Dark Fantasy, Drama, Elves, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Supernatural Elements, it does get dark but hopefully also fun, just a lot of fantasy beings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:00:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26084587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheeinswolf/pseuds/wheeinswolf
Summary: It was the beginning of the end. She had felt it coming for years, strangely enough held this feeling in her chest from even before she had been born. Something was about to awaken within her, her fingertips begging to finally set everything, the world surrounding her as well as the ones stretching past that, alight.
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Lee Siyeon, Kim Minji | JiU/Kim Yoohyeon
Comments: 24
Kudos: 40
Collections: DreamCatcher Taylor Swift Ficfest 2k20





	the beginning of the end

The throne’s cold metal pressed into her, causing endless goosebumps to run along her skin, covering every inch of her from her thighs up to her nape. The thin fabric wrapped around her body did little to keep any warmth to herself, barely even covering her from the hawk-like eyes of the countless snakes hidden in human skin populating the throne room. Their eyes devoured her restlessly, tearing her apart, greedy for anything she hid behind the facade as perfectly orchestrated as everyone else's. 

She allowed her own eyes to rake over their forms, a faint, yet cruel, smile curling on her lips whenever she noticed them cower away, unable to meet her eyes no matter their previous boasts of bravado. They painted her as weak only to disguise their fear, the unease they felt knowing she had the power to command their bodies, their thoughts with less than a whisper of her voice. As much as they tried to put her on a serving platter, ready to be ridiculed and plotted against at any given opportunity, in the end, they would always shrink away under her gaze. Fear was a powerful tool she knew well to use.

She closed her eyes, taking three deep breaths, focusing on the noise around her. She could almost hear their breaths, every single one of them, their words, their thoughts. They couldn't hide in the noise, every little step of theirs giving away their position and sometimes intention. But few mastered the game well enough to act even in this plane of existence and even fewer were present. So her eyes stayed closed and she listened, carefully picking apart and filing away the bits of information she guessed she would need later on. Whenever that later would be.

Faint steps resonated to her right and she paid more attention to them, recognizing the feathery way boots met the marble on the ground. A rather young man arrived at her side, tall, yet unusually lanky. Her eyes opened and she turned her head, slightly, to observe him. He bowed, his body portraying a perfectly measured right angle, before slightly rising again, his head still lowered as he spoke to her, rather quietly, knowing she wouldn't appreciate curious ears to hear the following message.

"Your Highness, they have arrived. He requests an audience," the boy hesitated, not quite knowing whether he was allowed to utter his thoughts. 

"Speak, boy."

She knew the power of her voice, had seen it often enough in her life to understand its true nature. A visible shudder ran through his body when her sinister tone met him, his lips parting on their own accord, vocal cords trembling as air rushed around them, transcribing his thoughts into sounds.

"He wishes to conquer. I heard the Lords speak about a transfer. I expect money played into this, Your Highness."

A firm nod dismissed him, quiet thanks echoing in his mind without the words ever having left the barrier of her lips. He scurried away, slipping into the moving mass of people, blending in with the others who looked just as ordinary and uninteresting as he did. Following the dark mop of hair had led her eyes to the usually closed entrance to the throne-room. The heavy doors were opened on this day, fixed to the wall with even heavier chains five people were needed to lift. It had been a rather genius idea of the previous ruler, ensuring his safety with doors too heavy to open for a simple assassin. Then again, no simple assassin ever targeted the emperor of this kingdom. 

Especially not her. 

And even though most of the time the doors were closed it wasn't too much of an unusual occasion to see them opened. The only rare occurrence was the man stepping through, white hair perfectly swept to the side as he purposefully strode in, tiny, black eyes fixated on his prize. Something about him seemed odd, different, and alien compared to the other times she had been cursed to be in his presence. But the disgust pooling in her belly clouded her mind, rendering her unable to think clearly apart from the anger rushing through her veins quickly enough she began to worry for her heart. Every single muscle in her body tensed, although invisible to the untrained eyes most of those standing in the room possessed, barely restraining the urge she felt to rise and lash out. Her fingernails dug into the throne’s armrest, tightening more with every step he took closer to her.

Few could awaken this specific type of anger within her, and he was one of them. The mass of people parted before him, Lords, Ladies, and otherwise noble people showing their respect as he passed them. She followed his every step with her eyes, her mind running wildly with replayed images of his head rolling around the floor, his confident smirk forever carved onto his frozen body. After what happened during their last meeting, as unwanted on her side as this one, it was the most effective way for her to stay calm. Basking in her murder-fantasies proved to be a smarter decision than sending a dagger through his heart and yet she couldn’t wait for the day her blade would finally taste his blood. She relaxed at the thought.

"My Queen Bora."

He flamboyantly threw his cape to the side, standing tall and proud before her. It would have been imposing had he not stopped at a safe distance from her. She noticed his shoulders rolling back, making him appear stronger than his shorter stature would allow under other circumstances. She seethed, perfectly quietly hissing through barely parted lips even if his carefully measured distance, his obvious caution, almost made her smile. Nobody called her by her name. Even her shadows, the people she trusted most, only ever addressed her as 'Your Highness'. He had no right.

"I have come, after all this time, to claim my rightful place by your side."

The crowd cheered. He was a talker, always had been. The people, his as well as those from other kingdoms listened to him, both trusted and followed his words without spending much thought on the consequences. Her people, although she wouldn't call the upper-class her people as they often acted on their own accord until she intervened, had sold her out. 

She licked her lips, mind slowly warming up for the inevitable game she had just been invited to. While she liked them, would usually win them, she couldn't help but feel the tension accompanying this one. The stakes were high even though entirely unknown to her. She absolutely wanted to decimate him, play her turns perfectly until he and his accomplices crumbled to dust. Every conversation with him, forced and just as played out like any other, took place on what felt like a tilted stage, her footing never quite as stable as she'd like it to be. 

Relaxing back into her throne she forced herself into the mask and played along, danced around the stage, around the enemies and hurdles he would create on this play with her as the main attraction. It was a role she had been made to embrace long ago. Her parents had warned her, had always tried to prepare her for the moment they would be gone. As much as she had listened, few things could've prepared her for the things that had happened.

Her restraint hung onto an impossibly thin thread, an onslaught of words bubbling in the back of her throat. With every day she felt the moment she would finally snap come closer. The other players, both the unknown, hidden ones, and the visible puller-of-strings were fools to believe she would continue blindly much longer. She could already nearly taste it with her fingertips. She knew she would need to wait, just a bit longer. For now, she'd keep quiet and follow the script, at least partially. Maybe all she needed to do was trap the game master in her own little tilted stage.

The fleeting looks exchanged by the Lords and Counts were obvious enough for her to catch from a distance. It did nothing but prove her suspicions right, especially after hearing her shadow's admission. Instead of tightening her hands around the throne’s armrests as she dearly wanted to, she let them fall in her lap, somewhat leaning to the side. She always had much preferred to appear as innocent and weak as possible. The fools had begun to believe her lie.

So she chose not to answer the king, knowing her silence would anger him more than any words ever could. The small quirk of his brows, a subtle frown, and quiver of his lips confirmed it. He stood far away yet, not daring to come much closer despite his confident claims, but she saw the anger bubbling underneath his skin, the greed begging to erupt and take over. Something irked her still, certain things didn't align the way they were supposed to.

Her fingers ghosted over her lap, crawling up the side of her body until she reached her jaw, promptly leaning her head onto the side so she could let it fall against her hand. She pouted and exhaled exaggeratedly, showing her boredom to spite him more. With a flick of her other wrist, the young man from before reappeared at her side, bending so he could hear her whisper.

"Escort him to my chambers, make him arrive once the party is over."

The boy's eyes widened, surprised by her sudden request contrasting her previous actions, but nevertheless complied. He bowed, showing the same, perfect form as always, and took his leave, melting back into the shadows. 

With a small exhale of her breath, she stood up, finally making her way down into the crowd. People shuddered when she passed them, the energy surrounding her in a cackling yet invisible field. Their heads bowed, one by one lowering as she strode towards the open area meant for dance. Underneath the respectful gesture lay nothing but malevolent intent, every interaction a perfectly orchestrated crime.

"Your Highness," one of many nobles greeted her.

The woman curtsied, lowering herself with her head bowed as the others in her group followed.

"How fare your lands?"

"Everything is well, Your Highness, thank you."

She nodded and took her leave, unwilling to stay in one place for too long. One by one people introduced themselves, boasting about their riches as if her treasury wasn't filled to the brim with more than she could consume in ten lifetimes. She politely continued, rarely answering, trying to head towards her actual destination. 

The mass of people split once she reached the dancefloor, her eyes catching the king's saber's glint from across the room. Her guards' laughs echoed in her mind, she had asked them to ensure no weapons entered the room. They had lied, unsurprisingly. But her shadows she could trust. Looking to the left she faintly nodded to the same young man from before, his form nearly hidden in between the statues and heavy, dark-red curtains falling over the marble walls. She knew more frequented the hall, she had ordered them to, after all. 

A woman her own age stepped into her line of sight and she both relaxed and tensed at once, not having expected her presence. The princess's pitch-black hair mixed with bright-red strands fell over her shoulders in silky waves, usually perfectly straight, as she gently lowered herself, somewhere in between a bow and courtesy.

"Your Highness."

"Princess Jiu," she whispered, careful of her voice for once.

"May I have this dance, Your Highness?"

"Quite daring for one of your kind to be out and about," Bora quipped, pointing at the princess's porcelain skin shimmering in a bluish hue, barely-there purple webs spreading under her skin. 

Jiu simply shrugged her shoulders, smiling brightly. Her hair swept to the side when she moved, revealing the pointed tips of her ears peeking out from within the black. 

The dark-elves were rarely known to leave their birthplaces, sticking to the mountains and their surrounding dark forests. Rarely did they enter the sunlight, known to live in caves and move through nature’s perfectly covered hallways in the forests. What an irony Jiu held a smile whose brightness rivaled her own enemy, the sun.

“It may come as a surprise, but I like the sun. I like seeing the overworld, the things you humans do.”

Hearing Jiu calling her a human nearly had Bora chuckle out loud but she instead chose to gently grin in return. It wouldn’t do good to reveal her secret. Some were suspicious already and she’d rather quell those thoughts before they grew to sprout. She extended her hand, waiting for Jiu to take it, before leading the two to the middle of the hall. A nod at the band and a quietly whispered command later the room was filled with the finest sounds. If Jiu had come to observe humans she would at least offer her a good show and an entirely unforgettable evening. 

Every single eye was on them when their fingers intertwined and the first step was taken. Jiu surrendered herself completely, following every subtle hint Bora sent her with perfect obedience. Their gowns spread out, painting beautiful yet unrecognizable shapes around their bodies as they swirled about, entirely uncaring about their surroundings. 

Her shadows kept watch, they would intervene if needed.

Their hands parted, Jiu's gently lying on Bora's shoulders when her own slowly ran down the side of the princess's body, feeling her warmth under the dark, silky material, until they reached her waist. Bora smirked and pressed harder into her lithe body, feeling the elven strength hidden underneath, and lifted her into the air as they spun. Her arms strained from the weight, muscles protesting against the effort but she continued holding Jiu up, ears entirely focused on the beat she followed with her steps. Wide, black eyes met her when she lowered her back down, infinite specs of gold and vermillion spread all over Jiu's irises. Bright laughter reached her ears and she couldn't help but smile along, nearly mirroring Jiu's expression. It was rare for her to smile so carefreely and brightly and she was more than aware of everyone else seemingly having stopped existing, frozen in time as they watched their dance. She paid them no mind, observing only out of the corner of her eyes to know where not to step. 

A subtle raise of Jiu's perfectly cut brows was the only reaction she got when she tightened her grip on her waist. One would be a fool to assume she had merely come for pleasure. An impossible to follow battle played out between them, their bodies dancing around each other in perfect circles as much as their minds did. She enjoyed it tremendously. They continued their dance, hypnotizing as much as it was beautiful. She didn't quite know how much time passed, didn't even feel any pain in her body from the constant effort. All she focused on was the music and the beautiful elf in front of herself.

Familiar with the music the band played, the composition one of her mother's private ones, she used the opportunity and sudden shift to surprise the princess, scoring yet another point. Jiu laughed again, the crystal-clear sound rarely stopping, taking over the throne-room. The princess was strongly amused at her own yelp when she was tipped back, clinging onto the red fabric under her fingertips.

"My, my, Your Highness, don't let me fall."

Bora leaned after her, the two of them weirdly but at the same time beautifully bent as the music reached its highest point, everything that had built up falling together at once, all tension released. 

"I'll think about it."

Both were aware of the truth behind the statement. Jiu nodded but didn't change her stance, deciding to trust her hold for now. Slowly, with the music fading out, she was brought back into a vertical position, feeling the solid ground under her feet once more. Jiu's hands found the way back to her shoulders, one resting closer to her clavicle than the actual shoulder. Her bright smile had never left her lips, head tilted to the side as she encouragingly nodded so they'd finish their dance.

She nodded back and spun her around a few last times before they parted, both respectfully lowering their heads at each other. It was rare for her bow, but she knew the princess deserved her respect. She simply ignored the scandalized gasps echoing across the room. Even with so few people remaining, the moon already high in the sky, the hour rather late, they still managed to invest most of their time into gossip instead of focusing on more important matters. Like drinking, eating and dancing would be at a party.

"Thank you for the dance, princess."

She truly did. It had been a rather welcome distraction from her otherwise boring and quite unnerving duties during such events. Especially after the unwanted, white-haired guest had appeared.

"It was an honor, Your Highness."

Taking her leave, Bora walked back to her throne, more than ready to end this meeting of snakes, plotting their schemes against her under porcelain-painted smiles. She breathed in deeply, letting her fingers glide over the armrest before turning around, allowing her body to sink into the bouncy material her seat was made of. Just another hour and she would be free and could finally take care of the problem that was the king. Sinking deeper into her throne the cogs inside her head began turning, one by one, gaining speed and growing faster while she plotted her plan, her inquiries, the tools and methods she would use to approach the rather unique interrogation. 

Only a brief, vague, and flickering thought was spent on the princess's reaction to her voice, or rather the lack thereof.

She noticed her shadow's presence once more, a certain weight following him around. She assumed the job had been done so she nodded, breathing in as she waited. Some of the more daring ones came closer, trying to strike up a conversation with her. She mostly nodded along, answered in softly hummed words whenever she needed, and mostly tried not to allow the boredom to seep onto her features. 

Once the moon's rays fell through the tall windows, illuminating the room in a bright white she clapped twice, gaining the room's attention as she crossed her legs, leaning her head onto a single arm. 

"Thank you all for coming today," maybe she was a snake as well with how well she lied, she wasn't quite sure, "But I will have to bid you good-night as I am tired. The guards will escort you outside."

Her smile was sugary-sweet and the confused expressions of those standing further away, unable to hear her, brought a certain satisfaction to her few other things could. She ignored how those close to her leaned away, grimacing in discomfort. With a flicker of her wrist, her traitor-guards began, slowly clearing the hall as both she and her shadows observed with a steely gaze. Only the red-tinted hair of the elven princess caught her eye, the taller woman sending her a quick wave before being swallowed by the mass of people. 

A small laugh escaped Bora. The princess truly had been a welcome distraction. 

She rose from the chair, brushing non-existent dust from her barely-there gown and descended the stairs once more, two of her shadows immediately tailing her. A group of four guards approached as well, their swords rusty and dull, helmets open so she could see their faces, every single detail on display. An advantage, should she need to remove any of them from duty.

"My Queen," one of the other guards tapped his side with his elbow, sending a sharp pain through his body and he corrected himself, "Your Highness, allow us to escort you to your chambers. It is quite late and dangerous."

"Am I supposed to understand you're incapable of protecting the palace as a whole?"

"Your Highness, that is not what I meant."

"Then you'll surely hastily return to your posts." 

"Yes, Your Highness. Of course, Your Highness."

He bowed, almost exaggeratedly deep, and for a moment she had half a mind to rip him off his rank for that and the previous disrespect. The other three guards followed him around the corner before turning on their heels, leaving to return to whatever place they were supposed to preoccupy. She tilted her head, listening to their fading footsteps. She trusted them less with every passing day, every passing hour. Too nosy had many of them become and she often wondered just how much of the palace's inner workings were known to the identity-less receiver of their traitorous whispers. Her shadows reappeared from where they had hidden once she nodded her okay, hands close to their sides, ready to unsheathe their daggers and protect her.

Knowing what awaited her, she took her time walking back. The palace was beautiful and the amount of time she was able to spend simply lolly-gagging on the halls would forever be too little. A more cynical side of her told her it would completely end, soon. She had learned to trust her gut-feeling by now and the thought of leaving, especially before knowing everything, saddened her more than she'd like to admit. There were a million little details and secrets blended into the environment, from buttons and other sensors opening secret passages even the original builders hadn't known about to long-forgotten riches and forbidden mixtures and journals for any and all purposes. She had extended her personal library by quite a bit simply taking a midnight stroll and paying attention to the slightly unordinary parts of her surroundings every once in a while.

A ghosted hand on her shoulder broke her out of her thoughts, the shadow to her right calling for her to be attentive as they had reached her chambers. With a small push of her hand, she opened the door, exhaling happily as an empty, spotless room greeted her. Every time she felt pride seeing the perfect execution of her privately trained unit.

"Stand guard."

She could allow herself to be louder, more careless around them, their minds strong enough to resist her call. Most in the throne-room would have crumbled on the spot, had they heard her voice up-close and less shrouded like this.

"A pleasant evening, Your Highness."

"Get some rest after this, Your Highness."

Every single one she had known since childhood, they had been offered the choice to work with her in exchange for protection as well as a warm roof until adulthood. Most chose to stay. Those who didn't were welcome to return any time. The bonds formed would never break, loyalty for her, and their fellow shadows remaining until the day they would inevitably die.

"Thank you. I will," Bora's lips curled with her smirk, revealing pearly, white teeth, "Eventually."

Pushing in the correct sequence of the brick wall on the left of her room she stepped back, allowing the door to retract back into the wall, opening the dark passageway for her. A last glance towards her shadows, the two of them standing guard in a firm yet relaxed stance, was all she needed before beginning the ultimately long descent down towards her next appointment. Nowhere felt as comfortable as the darkness. With a flick of her wrist the flintstone and steel produced a small spark, lighting the track of oil and fat on fire, the blue color drowning the tunnel in a flickering, but pleasantly dim glow. 

The door behind her closed, bricks shifting back into place and she was alone. She rolled her shoulders and stepped down, careful not to slip on the well-used stone, her hands gliding along the smooth walls. Every time she admired how dry and clean the tunnel was. The first time she had entered she had somehow expected all kinds of insects as well as plants and mushrooms to populate the cold stone. It was a clichéd secret tunnel, the stairs leading to an even longer hallway with barricaded junctions leading to unknown corners of the city. They had been a late precaution, not wanting a curious thief to find the basement by pure accident and luck. Following the blue fire, she reached her destination, the door half opened but guarded by yet another pair of shadows. They bowed in greeting, turning so she could step in between them and enter the cell. 

The smell of dust and grease took over her senses the second she stepped inside and she scrunched up her nose in a grimace. Rubbing her finger underneath her nose in an attempt to rid herself of the smell she stepped inside further, her eyes adjusting to the dim light inside the cell. Her eyes found the ones of her shadow, an unspoken and impossibly quick retelling of the events passing between them before she focused on the single chair standing in the middle.

Usually perfectly styled but now matte white hair met her, the king's body chained onto the backrest, lip already broken, blood drizzling down his chin into the short, no longer white beard stubble. The shadows were more than capable of bringing someone in completely unaware and unharmed but she hadn't deemed it necessary in his case. Seeing the blood coating his skin, his arrogance beaten out of him filled her with an intense joy she couldn't bring herself to hate.

As peaceful of a person she was, as much as she tried to treat those around her with kindness, she had her limits. The king had overstepped those a long time ago. Memories from the night that still haunted her flashed before her eyes, her mother's screams impossibly loud in her ears. Suddenly there wasn't enough red on him.

"Would you look at that, who do we have here?"

The words were spoken in a light, sugary tone entirely contrasting the curl of her lips and grate of her teeth. He whimpered in pain, writhing on the chair as he tried to escape her voice. His feet kicked against the ground, his movements becoming more erratic the more she stood still, hidden from his dulled senses. One of his kicks was strong enough to send the chair flying, the wood tipping back slowly and falling over despite his futile attempts to claw at the air through his restraints. The air wouldn't have been solid enough for him to grasp either way. 

She didn't contain her snicker at the dull thump and loud yelp reverberating through the room. The young man, the shadow who had brought her the news, moved to lift him back up but a flick of her pinkie stopped him. She rather liked seeing the talkative king's body on the ground, helplessly writhing in the grime covering the stone floor.

"You've conquered my chambers, congratulations, king. Few ever gain the honor of visiting."

His whimper turned into more of a growl, body wildly thrashing about. He tried to escape and wriggle out of the chains but everyone in the room, him especially, knew it would be for naught. The chains wouldn't break nor slip away, the material latching onto skin and rarely ever letting go. He would achieve nothing but bring himself more pain so she stayed still and watched as the chains dug deeper into his skin with every twitch of his muscles.

She walked around the cell, just as dimly lit by the burning trail of oil as the stairway she had descended. Unlike the palace's actual dungeon, the many tools lining the walls glinted in the light, cleaned and sharp for whatever next purpose they would serve. Reaching out she gently touched some, repeating the name and purpose of each one in her head. It had been a gruesome lesson. Her parents had insisted for her teacher to inform her of their every purpose when she was young still, as a way to learn of the more cruel sides of the world. To this day she questioned the true nature behind it.

"You can't touch me," he spat.

Bora turned around, fixating him with her gaze as she tightly gripped onto the small, metal hook she had grabbed. Lifting her foot onto the chair's wooden leg she pushed, forcing her entire weight into the kick so the chair would stand upright again. It wobbled around, tipping from two legs to the opposite ones a few times as he screamed his lungs out. She leaned down, running her finger under his chin, tilting his head up so she could stare at the blindfold covering his eyes better.

"Oh, but I am."

Putting one foot in front of the other she slowly circled him, ghosting her fingertips over his shoulders for no reason other than to annoy him, scare him and possibly drive him mad. Whenever she could, she dug her nails into his skin, leaving a trail of angry, red crescents in her wake. Standing behind him she leaned down, whispering into his ear, her fists balling at her side when she remembered the many threats she had been receiving on the daily, the insults and taunts, the news about people she knew disappearing in the middle of the night.

"I can do whatever I want," she clicked her tongue and barely caught herself before her fist would have connected with his nape.

"You won't get away with this."

She straightened up, a disgusted yet oddly amused smile sitting on her lips. She hummed, nearly amazed by his futile attempt to scare and threaten her. 

"I already did," her smile widened, teeth poking her lower lip when he roared in anger, kicking against the restraints binding him to the chair, "As far as people know, you were supposedly seen walking around the streets piss-drunk, ranting about some prostitute you spent less than half an hour with."

Bora paused her speech, cooking her head to the side with her perfectly trained smile stretching over her lips even though the king had no chance of seeing it. 

"And tomorrow morning an unidentifiable body will be found. Wearing your clothes. You must've stumbled and hit your head too strongly."

Before he could answer she forced his mouth open, blocking it from closing with a small tool she had quietly grabbed. He jerked his head, breaking out of her hold but was too weak to remove the tool from himself, teeth grating against the metal. Knowing his attempts wouldn't succeed she took her time to spy the next one she'd need. A small, black needle with a thin hook at its end was her target and she picked it up between two fingers, turning it to watch the light's reflections dance over the metal. 

"I must say, I'm glad you came," she stepped closer to him, talking excitedly, "I've been trying to copy that poisonous little thing of yours for a while."

Her shadow came to help, tilting his head back so she could access his molars easier. She grimaced, not that entertained about having to wet her hand with his saliva, but continued anyway, bringing the needle's hook closer to the minuscule white pouch.

"You won't escape this easily," she smirked, white teeth shining even in the dim light, "Not without telling me all I want to know."

It hung onto the needle, the tool thankfully holding his mouth open while she retracted it. He tried to sabotage her, his tongue pressing against the needle over and over again. Bora nearly gagged, the feeling of his sticky saliva on her fingers one of the most disgusting things she had ever witnessed. She raised her leg and stepped down onto his food as hard as possible. His scream resonated through the cell but at least he stopped moving.

She patted him on the head, like praising a dog for doing well in something, and let the poison fall into her palm. His kingdom's warriors were known to be impossible to interrogate, every single one of them carrying this type of poisonous pouch, as small as a rice grain, with them. They'd break it with their teeth, thus releasing the poison, granting them both a swift and painless death, guarding the kingdom's safety. The king, apparently, was not excluded from the practice. How strange.

"Although I do wonder," she turned and faced the door, "You were caught much too easily. Nearly willingly."

She opened the door and passed the small object to one of the shadows guarding it, asking them to bring it to the alchemist she trusted for research. In time she had learned to value knowledge and information more than brute force. As much as she herself was interested in the wonder of chemicals she knew neither her knowledge nor tools and equipment were advanced enough to decipher the poison's recipe. The alchemist would bring better, more satisfying results in a shorter time than she ever could. 

Bora clapped her hands together, contemplating to go wash them for a moment before she remembered the onslaught of questions she still had and the time she'd ultimately have to spend in the cell. Blood might yet flow and she was too lazy to wash up several times. Perhaps she should've changed her gown beforehand. She pitied whoever would be assigned the task to clean it.

"Where do we proceed," she tapped her fingers against each other looking around the room.

The king's whimpers grew louder once more, attempting to release himself from the chains holding him down. Bora sent a strong kick against his shin, sure it would bruise quickly. 

"I won't tell you anything. Just you wait. They'll skin you alive like the witch you are. We'll get you at some point, you'll burn like all the others before you did," he choked out in laughed yet pained words.

Another flash of a memory from that night.

"Then I suppose I'll just have to rise from the dead once more. I do it all the time."

Before he had a chance to process her answer, Bora brought her leg back, shifting her stance so she'd have more control, and sent another powerful kick into his leg, hitting nearly the same spot. In a way, she was surprised not to hear the bone crack.

"You have been targeting those close to me for years now, one suspicious disappearance after the other, and I will find out what you're plotting, old man."

He was twice her age, somewhere in the middle of his fifties and she knew from experience how nothing irked him more than digs at his age of any kind. Saliva met her chin, the king having spit on her. His dumb grin showed teeth as perfectly white as her own only to be showered in a bloody red once her fist retracted from his face. 

"We will kill every single one of them and then we'll have our fun with you," he slurred, licking the blood from his lips.

It got harder than ever to control herself. She knew she'd have to be careful, speak too loud or direct and he would lose his mind, rendering him completely useless. She took a step back, breathing in deeply as he kept taunting her, throwing both insults and spit at her feet. Bora's eyes glid over the wall, taking in the many weapons. It had been quite a while since she had personally interrogated someone and as much as she tried to lie to herself, she didn't enjoy it too much. She didn't regret it necessarily, knowing the ones gracing the chair were the worst of the worst, but she hated how dirty it made her feel. A mental note to soak in a bath for a few hours was her last kind thought of the night.

The shadow stood back, watching her handiwork throughout the few hours. It was precise and clean, aiming to inflict just the right amount of pain but not damage too much. The game was as physical as it was psychological and for those of their status, the rulers of the world, pain seldom meant anything anymore. They had been trained not to mind it after a while. Some of her ancestors had taken it as far as to crave the pain, driving possible enemies insane during battles. She didn't show her frustration at the scarce amount of information she had gathered during those three hours. The king was covered in small cuts, all faint enough to heal completely in two days but deep and many enough to bring a constant, humming burn to his skin.

"Well, I suppose we'll see each other again soon."

She punched his chin again for good measure, a small smile creeping onto her lips at his loud cry. Shaking her fist from the impact she nodded towards her shadow who quickly took the king into a chokehold, effectively knocking him out. Something told her it would be best for the king to stay quiet. The palace was old and the fundament's walls even more ancient. 

One never knew who listened.

Bora exited the cell, rolling the kinks out of her shoulders and bid her goodbye to the guarding shadows. They'd have the shift for the next few hours and yet she wished them a good rest once they were done. With heavy steps, she dragged herself up the staircase leading to her chambers, more than excited to fall into her bed.

"Your Highness, you need to clean up," one of the two guarding her room piqued up.

"I'm too tired," she pouted, already half-asleep.

"Come on, I'll assist you."

She allowed herself to be led to the adjoining bathroom, warm water already drawn in the porcelain tub. Her body sank into the water, soft ripples closing around her with every inch of her skin disappearing underneath. The warmth immediately took over her body, coating her up in a layer of comfort and peace. Even though she had only just stepped in, she already felt cleaner, lighter, as if the day's events had simply washed away. Her dark, reddish hair was bound up in a high bun, resting just above the water's surface so it wouldn't get wet. She sank lower and lower, hands waving over her stomach in gentle circles as she felt the water be pushed back and forth, gliding between her fingers as she played. Sighing softly she stopped, too exhausted to continue moving. 

With only one eye half-way opened she watched the shadow move around her bathroom. One by one differently colored and built vials appeared on the tray to her right, the different smells already invading her nose. The lavender overshadowed most, as it always did, but a faint citrus fragrance lingering underneath. Trusting the shadow with her life, if not more, Bora closed the other eye as well, welcoming the dark so she could rest for a while. Her mind stayed awake, attentive to her surroundings even as the shadow dipped her hands into the water, wetting them before she reached for the first vial, uncorking it to allow the substance to flow onto her hand.

Soft, pleasant moans and hums left Bora's lips when the shadow helped clean her up, massaging the cleansing oils into her skin with soft yet precise strokes. No shame accompanied the procedure, she had been used to being assisted in nearly every aspect of her life since her birth, everything a perk of her royal status. She welcomed and appreciated it even if sometimes fleeting thoughts made her question it.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

Her chin had disappeared under the water, coating her lips with the small bubbles covering the surface, and when she spoke, a slightly bitter taste accompanied her. Shaking her wrist near the surface she cleared it of any bubbles, quickly raising it from the water to swipe at her lips and clean them all while expectantly gazing up at the shadow, waiting for her answer.

"Yongsun."

For the second time that day, she was met with a smile rivaling the sun's brightness. She sank deeper into the water, enjoying the comforting touches as her muscles slowly relaxed after the long day. Yongsun's fingers ghosted over her skin, digging deeper into the places that needed it, massaging the pain out of her tight and strained muscles. 

"Thank you, Yongsun."

"You're welcome, Your Highness."

She studied the shadow's facial expression, searching for any lingering dishonesty but found none. A small smile graced her lips as she nodded in thanks, gently excusing Yongsun from the room so she could wash the lotions off. Once the door fell closed she finally, for the first time that day, fully relaxed. The water around her slowly cooled down, that first telltale chill setting in in her toes, sending the slightest shiver up her spine. Stretching in the bathtub, she waited for that specific satisfying pop of her joints before she curled up into a small ball, soaking up the last moments of warmth.

Soon enough she fell onto her mattress, skin in that somewhat moist stadium it held whenever she left the bath. The towel she had used to dry off lay somewhere, forgotten on the ground. She'd pick it up the next morning. Sleep quickly took over her, lulling her into the calmness of the dark. For once the dreamland she visited every once in a while was bright, telling of tall forests and singing creaks finding their way through unbreakable rock. Only the moon accompanied her, shining through the opened windows, the satin curtains of a deep red gently swaying in the nightly breeze.

"Your Highness!"

A hurried onslaught of knocks against the wooden door woke her. She blinked, slowly, her lips parting for the first, wide yawn of the day. She pushed herself up, bodyweight resting on her forearms as she quizzically looked at the still closed door, hearing hushed whispers and the dull noise of someone falling onto their behind. The shadows must've stopped the courier from entering. She bit the annoyance and slight anger bubbling up inside her back down, yawned once more, and rolled over, taking her time in doing so, until her foot finally met the floor, the entirety of her body flinching at the cold sensation. Mumbling a swear she pushed herself onto both feet before striding towards the door, white nightgown swirling around her frame from the movement.

She opened the door, the two shadows bowing their heads in respect while the courier still sat on the ground, barely having begun the process of standing up. Staring him down with her brow raised she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed across her chest. Seeing how he took too long to stand up for her liking she began to impatiently tap her foot, having half a mind to simply command him to speak. There was no reason for him to be present in front of her chambers.

"Your Highness, the western lands ask for their king."

Bora shrugged her shoulders and raised both her brows, signaling she had no idea where said king was. Years of practice had taught her to hide her thoughts well and although she was tempted to look towards the secret entrance, she didn't, keeping her expression monotone instead. It would've been more suspicious had she shown concern rather than indifference. She flicked her hand and re-entered her chambers, faintly hearing the courier protest against the shadows pushing him away.

Once the door fell closed behind her back the smile spread over her lips, unable to contain it any more. The fools could search for as long as they wanted, they would never find him. Meanwhile, she would have all the time in the world to finally find out more about what was going on, what had been happening even since before she had been born. As much as she trusted herself, her knowledge, and strength, she knew she was still young, lacking the experience most other players in this deadly game of chess had. She could never be too careful and plan enough in advance.

Annoyance gnawed at her still as she stomped through her room. The guards should not have allowed the courier this far into the building, should've stopped him at the entrance the way they did everyone else. It seemed the king's poison had seeped further than she initially suspected, had infected the minds of near everyone around her. She wondered what other secret messages his honey-coated words carried.

Walking over to the pitch-black desk facing the southern window of her chambers she sank into the chair, placing her elbows onto the wood and sighed. The constant stress and worry had taken its toll even on her. Exhaustion crept up her bones just from staring at the black wood in front of her. Questions kept piling up and she began to wonder what the goal of her inquiries even was. As clean as its surface was now, as many loose papers and notebooks would cover it in a few mere minutes. There were too many variables and the king's words had just strengthened her suspicions about the game of chess that had ruled and influenced this world since its first beginnings. 

Against her better judgment, she had at first wanted to ignore the elven princess's role in this. They had but briefly spoken before, the previous day's dance being their longest interaction yet. She seemed too innocent, too out of place amidst the humans. Bora just couldn't imagine what she would gain from allying with the king and whoever he followed. Bigger, more important things had to be at stake.

She chewed on her lower lip, breaking the skin enough to let the familiar metallic taste flood her senses. She had gotten so used to it she barely reacted to it. Pulling a particularly old notebook from a locked drawer she allowed it to fall onto the wood in front of her and opened the last inscribed page. Her eyes flew over the letters until she found the name she had been looking for. In blood-red ink stood her grandmother's name, underlined in bold strokes. Only two other names carried the same depiction. One of them, being Jiu's mother. Her fingers nimbly traced the letters, checking once, then twice whether the spelling was correct or not. It was, unsurprisingly. Her family had been nothing but meticulous in the keeping of this notebook. The only reason her own name hadn't replaced her grandmother's, was because of the old women still wandering the surface of their world, somewhere, far, far away.

She held her breath whenever her fingers brushed over the third name, blurred beyond readability. Shaking her head she closed the notebook, knowing from experience how staring at the two and a half names wouldn't bring her further in any way. Tapping blindly at her right she pulled another book in front of her, cautiously laying other, free pages next to it, and began reading, comparing, and learning.

The earlier part of the day passed rather quickly, her nose buried between the pages of several books, trying to finally find out more. A nagging feeling at the pit of her stomach told her change would come soon. Something was bound to happen. The king had been caught too easily, had much too willingly entered her palace, had too many question marks and variables surrounding his being for her liking. Jiu's sudden appearance had been more than unexpected as well. Bora was suspicious about two red names being in the same place at the same time.

If only she'd find out how the third played into everything, who they were. A single paw-print, scribbled in crude red next to the name was her only indication. One she knew nothing to do with other than stare and wonder.


End file.
